DistribuTech Exhibition to Feature AMR/CIS, Energy Management

Customer information systems, automatic meter reading, energy management and distributed automation control are all topics of the next DistribuTECH, to be held Feb 4-6 at the San Diego Convention Center.

DistribuTECH focuses on distributed automation and management topics for the water utility and electric power industries. More than 200 exhibiting companies are expected to participate in the 2007 event, with many offering products targeting the water industry. Some 4,000 electric and water industry professionals are expected to attend.

Along with the exhibition, the conference will feature water-related sessions on such topics as security technologies for remote surveillance; asset management; energy efficiency and cost reduction through use of automation; data collection and information management; and using automatic meter reading as a conservation tool.

Water utilities are re-examining their power consumption in light of the growing cost of fuel and electric power. Onsite power generation, software to optimize pumping systems and monitoring power usage via SCADA systems are just a few of the methods used by utilities to manage energy consumption.

Among the presenters discussing energy management will be Shahid Chaudhry, Program Manager, California Energy Commission. His paper will discuss various strategies to reduce energy consumption, including energy conservation, load shifting and water resource management, among others.

An effective asset management program is a key component of any water/wastewater utility’s business strategy. Paper presentations will examine the hardware & software systems available on the market today, and the types of data that must be collected and organized to support asset management.

Many municipal water utilities are adopting a business-centered approach to help improve service to their customers. The rapidly evolving world of Automatic Meter Reading systems is providing a wealth of new information that can be used by water utilities to monitor and manage water consumption, detect leaks and improve customer service.

By the same token, new Customer Information System software and technologies are flooding onto the market. Presenters at DistribuTECH will provide tips and discuss techniques on improved customer relations, billing and information management.

For more information on the DistribuTECH conference, including registration and the preliminary program, visit www.distributech.com.